Sponge cup



SPONGE CUP Filed April 25, 1950 Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SPONGE 'CUP Wisconsin Application-April 25, 1950, SerialNo. 157,990

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to sponge cups such as are used in oflices, banksand other places where it is frequently desired to moisten the end of afinger to assist in separating sheets of paper, separating or countingpaper money and for similar Purposes.

The main object of the invention is to provide a sponge cup with aliquid storage chamber for supplying water or other liquid to the spongeand to provide an arrangement in which the feed of Water to the sponge,or at least to the top surface thereof is so controlled that the topportion of the sponge will be provided with an adequate supply of waterbut will not be flooded.

Other objects are to provide a sponge cup of the character indicated,with a safety or over flow chamber which will trap and return to thesponge, any excess Water squeezed out of the sponge in normal usagethereof, and to provide a form of construction of such a sponge cupwhich is highly practical and economical so that the finished productmay be sold at prices consistent with the present commercial range ofprices for devices designed for the same purpose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood byreference to the following specification and accompanying drawingwherein there is illustrated a sponge cup embodying a selected form ofthe invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is plan; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 22 of Fig. l.

The sponge cup structure shown in the drawing comprises inner and outercylindrical tubular wall members I and 2, respectively, a bottom closure3 being formed integrally with the outer wall member 2. A sponge l ispositioned within said inner wall I, and this sponge may be a naturalsponge or of sponge rubber or other artificial or synthetic material.

The inner or central tubular wall is supported in spaced relationapproximately concentric with the outer wall 2 by means of a laterallyextending partition wall part 5 and an upwardly extending peripheralannular wall or flange B which has a laterally outwardly extending rimflange l overlying the upper edge of the outer wall 2. The peripheralwall part 6 is removably fitted into the upper end portion of the outerwall 2, a rubber or similar gasket 8 being preferably interposed betweensaid wall parts 6 and 2 to frictionally hold the inner part in place inthe outer part.

The inner part comprising the central wall l,

the partition 5, peripheral wall 6 and its rim flange 7 may be molded inone piece and the outer part or receptacle comprising the annular wall 2and the bottom 3 may similarly be molded in one piece, both parts beingadvantageously made of any suitable water resistant plastic compositionof which many are now available.

As shown in the drawing, the partition 5 is located intermediate theupper and lower ends of the wall I and serves to divide the annularspace between the walls I and 2 into upper and lower chambers 9 and Ill,respectively. The upper end ll of the wall I is preferably locatedsomewhat below the plane of the top of the device as shown and one ormore openings [2 are provided in the inner wall portion i above thepartition 5 so as to drain any Water which finds its Way into the upperchamber 9 back into the sponge.

The lower end of the wall I terminates as indicated at it a shortdistance above the bottom of the receptacle so as to providecommunication between the lower chamber l0 and the sponge receivingchamber and the sponge positioned therein.

The bottom wall 3 may conveniently be provided with one or moreupstanding bosses such as the illustrated centrally disposed boss Hi anda series of circumferentially spaced bosses [5 which are spacedoutwardly from the central boss It; these bosses serve to normallysupport the sponge 4 in slightly elevated position relative to thebottom 3. This helps to prevent any gum or similar accumulations fromfilling and sealing the lower end of the sponge 4.

The lower margina1 portion of the outer wall 2 is provided with anenlargement or thickened portion as indicated at It and an annularrecess ii is provided in this thickened portion. A cushion member I8which may be in the form of an annular resilient rubber member or thelike is positioned in the recess ll, being seated on the bottom of saidrecess and of such depth as to project slightly below the bottom planeof the bottom wall 3. This resilient cushioning member 18 is preferablytensioned around the surrounded lower portion of the outer structure soas to thereby frictionally retain itself in place in the recess ll. Saidmember l8 provides an effective non-slipping, table finish protectingbottom for the device in a very inexpensive, easily assembled andotherwise practicable manner.

As shown in Figure 2 the upper marginal portion of the side wall 2 isinteriorly recessed as indicated Hi to provide a seat for receiving thesealing gasket 8 thereby permitting the chamber 9 to be made somewhatwider than would be practicable if the upper portion of the wall 2 weremade of the same thickness as the lower portion.

The chamber it constitutes a water reservoir or storage chamber andwater is 'of course delivered to the sponge through the passagewayprovided between the lower end l3 of the central wall I and the bottom3. The water is carried upwardly in the sponge largely by capillaryaction in the small spaces or pores of the sponge so that the uppersurface of the spongewill not be-excessively wetted or flooded. When thetop of the sponge is depressed, any water thereby pressed out of thesponge at its sides will flow into the chamber 9 and from thence will bereturned to the sponge through the passageways indicated at l2.

Various changes in the described arrangement may be made while retainingthe principles thereof as indicated in the foregoing description.

I claim:

1. A sponge cup comprising an outer receptacle having a bottom wall andan annular outer side wall integral with and extending upwardly fromsaid bottom wall; an inner member having an open ended tube disposedwithin said outer receptacle in substantially coaxial relation to theside wall thereof with the lower end of said tube spaced from saidbottom wall, an annular flange integral with said tube and extendinglaterally outwardly therefrom intermediate its ends, an annular innerside wall integral with and extending upwardly from the outer peripheryof said flange in substantially concentric relation to said tube andhaving an outside diameter which is a free fit within said outer sidewall, and a rim flange integral with said inner side wall and extendinglaterally outwardly from the upper edge thereof, said rim flangeoverlying and being seated on the upper end of said outer side wall tothereby determine the spacing of the lower end of said tube from saidbottom wall; the upper portion of said tube, said flange, and saidannular inner wall cooperating to form an annular chamber; and anannular gasket intermediate said inner and outer side walls adjacentsaid rim flange and serving to frictionally secure said inner member inplace as aforesaid in said outer receptacle; said tubular member beingadapted to hold a sponge with the lower end thereof seated on saidbottom wall, and said inner member being provided with a holeestablishing communication between said chamber and said receptacle todrain from said chamber any liquid expressed thereinto from a spongeheld in said tube as aforesaid.

2. A sponge cup comprising an outer receptacle having a bottom wall andan annular outer side wall integral with and extending upwardly fromsaid bottom wall, the lower marginal portion of said outer side wallbeing of greater thickness than the overlying portion thereof, and saidbottom wall and lower marginal side wall portion being provided with anarrow annular recess; an annular elastic band seated in said recess andprojecting below said side and bottom walls; an inner member having anopen ended tube disposed within said outer receptacle in substantiallycoaxial relation to the side wall thereof and with the lower end of saidtube spaced from said bottom wall, an annular flange integral with saidtube and extending laterally outwardly therefrom intermediate its ends,an annular inner side wall integral with and extending upwardly from theouter periphery of said flange in substantially concentric relation tosaid tube and having an outside diameter which is a free fit within saidouter side wall, and a rim flange integral with said inner side wall andextending laterally outwardly from the upper edge thereof, said rimflange overlying and being seated on the upper end of said outer sidewall to thereby determine the spacing of the lower end of said tube fromsaid bottom wall; the upper portion of said tube, said flange, and saidannular inner wall cooperating to form an annular chamber; and anannular gasket intermediate said inner and outer side walls adjacentsaid rim flange and serving to frictionally secure said inner member inplace as aforesaid in said outer receptacle; said tubular member beingadapted to hold a sponge with the lower end thereof seated on saidbottom wall, and said tube being provided with a hole establishingcommunication between said chamber and the inside of said tube to drainfrom said chamber any liquid expressed thereinto from a sponge held insaid tube as aforesaid.

3. A sponge cup comprising an outer receptacle having a bottom wall andan annular outer side wall integral with and extending upwardly fromsaid bottom wall; an inner member having an open ended tube disposedwithin said receptacle in substantially coaxial relation to the sidewall thereof and with at least a portion of the lower end of said tubespaced from said bottom wall, an annular flange integral with said tubeand extending laterally outwardly therefrom intermediate its ends, anannular inner side wall integral with and extending upwardly from theouter periphery of said flange in substantially concentric relation tosaid tube within said outer side wall, and a rim flange integral withsaid inner side wall and extending laterally outwardly from the upperedge thereof into overlying relation to the upper end of said outer sidewall, the upper portion of said tube, said flange, and said annularinner wall cooperating to form an annular cham her; said tubular memberbeing adapted to hold a sponge with the lower end thereof seated on saidbottom wall, and said inner member being provided with a holeestablishing communication between said chamber and said receptacle todrain from said chamber any liquid expressed thereinto from a spongeheld in said tube as aforesaid.

GUSTAV J. SENGBUSCI-I.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 15,786 McGinty Mar. 4, 1924 972,661 Summers Oct. 11, 19101,741,783 Lower Dec. 31, 1929 2,085,862 Lee July 6, 1937 2,399,400Snelling Apr. 30, 1946

